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1996 Mercury Tracer

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
12Owner complaints

Model-year median: 22.5

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
62
199366
199496
199512
1996142
199744
199820
1999
Compare all Tracer years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
4Air Bags
3Seats
2Steering
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1
All reported categories
Fuel System, Gasoline
1Power Train
1Structure
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 12 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seats. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

12 reports
60,430 miles · Feb 21, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE SEAT, CYLINDER HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET WHICH CORRECTED T…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE NOISE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENGINE SEAT, CYLINDER HEAD, AND HEAD GASKET WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ODI #10150759

40,809 miles · Jul 14, 2003
Fuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE EXHAUST.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10027207

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 2001
Air BagsSeat BeltsSteeringCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO A DITCH. AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY AND EXPLODE. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #893567

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2001
Seat Belts

RETRACTOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS UP, AND WHEN DOOR IS OPENED IT SLIDES QUICKLY BACK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878964

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2000
Air BagsCrash

THIS VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 45 MPH, AND FORNTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #874100

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2000
Power TrainSeat Belts

THE DRIVERS SIDE MOTORBELT FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #550453

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 1999
Seat Belts

DRIVERS SIDE MOTOR BELT FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #547346

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 1999
SeatsCrashInjury

ON 6-25-99 WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER REAR-ENDED US GOING ABOUT 35-40MILES PER HOUR. AT IMPACT BOTH FRONT SEATS LATCH BROKE AND THE SEATS SLID BACK AND RESTED IN THE LAPS OF MY 3 CHILDREN SEATED IN THE BACK. THE DRIVERS SEAT ALSO SEEMED TO BECOME UNBOLTED AND TWISTED BEFORE…

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ON 6-25-99 WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE WERE AT A COMPLETE STOP WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER REAR-ENDED US GOING ABOUT 35-40MILES PER HOUR. AT IMPACT BOTH FRONT SEATS LATCH BROKE AND THE SEATS SLID BACK AND RESTED IN THE LAPS OF MY 3 CHILDREN SEATED IN THE BACK. THE DRIVERS SEAT ALSO SEEMED TO BECOME UNBOLTED AND TWISTED BEFORE IT SLID BACK HITTING MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BETWEEN THE EYES. AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AND THEY DID NOT. OUR CAR SLID ONE CITY BLOCK AT IMPACT. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED AND THE REAR DOORS JAMMED. I HAD TO LEAN AND PULL ON THE FRONT SEATS TO PULL MY CHILDREN FROM THE BACK SEATS. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR MY 3AND 1 YEAR OLDS BECAUSE THEY WERE LOCKED IN CHILD SAFETY SEATS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #708379

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 1998
Structure

THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S DOORS WOULD POP & GRIND WHENEVER THEY ARE OPENED. AIR COMES THROUGH THE WINDOW. TOOK TO DEALER 4 TIMES & GOING FOR 5TH TIME. PROBLEM GETTING WORSE. DOORS ARE HARDER TO OPEN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #821348

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 1997
SeatsCrashInjury

DURING A REAR END COLLISION BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEATS SLID BACK AND THEN FELL BACK INTO ARECLINE DPOSITION ON TOP OF THE PASSENGERS IN THE REAR SEAT, CAUSING THEM TO HIT THEIR HEADS ON THE FRONT SEATS.

NHTSA ODI #526837

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.